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Study: Depression and risk of heart disease

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The Daily


Wednesday, July 16, 2008
1994/1995 to 2006/2007

When other risk factors were taken into account, depression was significantly associated with increased risk of heart disease among women. However, the association between depression and heart disease did not reach statistical significance among men.

Although the study, "Depression and risk of heart disease," published today in Health Reports, and others indicate an association between depression and heart disease, a causal link between the two disorders has not been confirmed.

Among people aged 40 or older and free of heart disease in 1994/1995, 19% of men and 15% of women had developed or died from heart disease by 2006/2007. The risk of heart disease was significantly higher for women who had depression, but not for men.

Note: This is the first nationally representative study of the association between depression and incident heart disease in the Canadian population. The study is based on seven cycles of the National Population Health Survey, including new data for 2006/2007 released today. The study used data from a sample of 4,948 men and women aged 40 or older who did not report having heart disease in 1994/1995. It followed them through to 2006/2007 to determine if depression was associated with increased risk of heart disease diagnosis or death.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey numbers, including related surveys, 3225 and 5015.

The article, "Depression and risk of heart disease," which is part of today's Health Reports, Vol. 19, no. 3 (82-003-XWE, free) online release, is now available from the Publications module of our website.

Some data tables are also available today in Healthy Today, Healthy Tomorrow? Findings from the National Population Health Survey: "Depression and risk of heart disease," Vol. 3, no. 1 (82-618-MWE2008007, free), from the Publications module of our website.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Heather Gilmour (613-951-2114; heather.gilmour@statcan.gc.ca), Health Information and Research Division.

For more information about Health Reports, contact Christine Wright (613-951-1765; christine.wright@statcan.gc.ca), Health Information and Research Division.

For more information about the National Population Health Survey data released today or about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Client Services (613-951-1746; hd-ds@statcan.gc.ca) or Ron Gravel (613-951-2295; ron.gravel@statcan.gc.ca).